Functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) is governed by several pathophysiologic abnormalities such as tricuspid valve annular dilatation, annular shape, pulmonary hypertension, left or right ventricle dysfunction, right ventricle geometry, and leaflet tethering. Treatment options for FTR are primarily surgical. The current prevalence of moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation is estimated to be 1.6 million in the United States. Of these, only 8,000 patients undergo tricuspid valve surgeries annually, most of them in conjunction with left heart valve surgeries.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,995 to Quijano et al. describes a method of protecting an upper and a lower body of a patient from high venous pressures comprising: providing an elongate valve stent, wherein the stent comprises a first stent member with a first tissue valve secured to a first support structure being disposed at a first end of the stent and a second stent member with a second tissue valve secured to a second support structure being disposed at an opposite second end of the stent, wherein both support structures are collapsibly expandable, the second end being connected to the first end with at least one elongate connecting member; passing the elongate valve stent through a blood vessel with the first and second support structures in a collapsed position; and securing the first support structure to an inferior vena cava and the second support structure to a superior vena cava with both support structures in an expanded shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,593 to McCarthy et al. describes a method of protecting an upper body and a lower body of a patient from high venous pressures comprising implanting a first stented valve at the superior vena cava and a second stented valve at the inferior vena cava, wherein the first and second valves are configured to permit blood flow towards a right atrium of the patient and prevent blood flow in an opposite direction.
PCT Publication WO 05/021063 to Numamoto et al. describes an elongate valve stent and methods for protecting an upper or a lower body of a patient from high venous pressures comprising a stent member, the stent member comprising a support structure and a tissue valve, wherein the tissue valve is configured to permit fluid flow in one direction and prevent fluid flow in an opposite direction, and means for anchoring the stent member onto surrounding tissue of the superior vena cava or inferior vena cava.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,893 to Mortier et al. describes a device for heart valve repair including at least one tension member having a first end and second end. A basal anchor is disposed at the first end of the tension member and a secondary anchor at the second end. The method includes the steps of anchoring the basal anchor proximate a heart valve and anchoring the secondary anchor at a location spaced from the valve such that the chamber geometry is altered to reduce heart wall tension and/or stress on the valve leaflets.
The following patents and patent application publications may be of interest:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,860 to O'Connor
U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,899 to Houser et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,983 to Roue et al.
US Patent Application Publication 2005-0216039 to Lederman
US Patent Application Publication 2007-0118151 to Davidson
US Patent Application Publication 2007-0198082 to Kapadia et al.